Sunday, January 10, 2010

If you are looking for a poignant piece on world politics or some moral or ethical issue, you are out of luck in this particular blog. Just some good old fashion venting. Unfortunately, I had to pick up a couple of items at a Super Walmart, this cold but sunny Sunday afternoon. In fact, the biggest Walmart in Canada.

Is bigger always better? Sometimes I wonder. Bigger homes, bigger cars, bigger malls, bigger big box stores, bigger Walmart Superstores! This big Super Walmart is so big, it needs two postal codes. For example, garlic bread is not in the section where bread is kept. Why? Because they keep it near the ready-to-eat food section, with the barbecued chicken, chunky fries, processed chicken parts, etc. Fantastic!! All I know, is that it necessitates a lot of unnecessary looking around for challenged individuals like myself.

Bigger, better. Hmmmm. Customer service is a joke on normal days, but on a busy Sunday, one might as well pack a lunch because it is going to be awhile, a long while before you make your return or exchange.

But the creme de la creme is the checkout. Don't let the twenty something checkouts and massive express lanes fool you into thinking you can make a quick exit. Bigger Walmarts just mean bigger lineups. Seriously! Bring a book, a newspaper, needlepoint, a chess game or something. One might as well use the time in the lineup for something productive other than gazing at the gazillion "gotta have" products strategically placed along your mammoth journey through the check out. Even when it's not super busy, Super Walmart still has super lineups. My trick is to go the the electronics or watch/jewelery department and feign ignorance to checkout before my next birthday.

The lure of Walmart and Super Walmart for me and I am sure others is the one-stop shopping. You can pick up your cereal, spray paint, shaving cream, wiper blades, garden tools, asprin, carpet deodorizer, apples, window cleaner, chocolate chip cookies and pet food all in the same trip and if your fortunate enough, the cashier may just shove everything in the same super big bag!!

All this venting coming from a guy who loves Walmart and goes there for everything from motor oil to granola bars.

Welcome

Hey, if you have found this blog accidentally or by choice, happy reading. These ramblings are just my humble thoughts. Not too thought provoking, politically correct, witty or even remotely interesting. Just trying something new.